Home
Archive
Columnists
Video
Blogs
Discuss
About
Search
Donate
Advertise
100 words for 100 days: submit your 100 word essay and get published on AlterNet
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
  • AlterNetYour turn

Support AlterNet
Do you value the information you're getting from AlterNet? Please show your support with a tax-deductible donation.


Feedback
Tell us how we're doing.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Keith Olbermann's colleagues mock anthrax scare

Posted by Lindsay Beyerstein at 6:00 AM on September 28, 2006.


Domestic terrorism laugh riot to NY Post.
olbermann
Olbermann

Share and save this post:
Digg iconDelicious iconReddit iconFark iconYahoo! iconNewsvine! iconFacebook iconNewsTrust icon

Got a tip for a post?:
Email us | Anonymous form

Get PEEK in your
mailbox!

 

Here's what the New York Post had to say about the letter full of white powder that Keith Olbermann received, with a note warning him not to criticize the president:

POWDER PUFF SPOOKS KEITH

MSNBC loudmouth Keith Olbermann flipped out when he opened his home mail yesterday. The acerbic host of "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" was terrified when he opened a suspicious-looking letter with a California postmark and a batch of white powder poured out. A note inside warned Olbermann, who's a frequent critic of President Bush's policies, that it was payback for some of his on-air shtick. The caustic commentator panicked and frantically called 911 at about 12:30 a.m., sources told The Post's Philip Messing. An NYPD HazMat unit rushed to Olbermann's pad on Central Park South, but preliminary tests indicated the substance was harmless soap powder. However, that wasn't enough to satisfy Olbermann, who insisted on a checkup. He asked to be taken to St. Luke's Hospital, where doctors looked him over and sent him home. Whether they gave him a lollipop on the way out isn't known. Olbermann had no comment.

Can you imagine what the New York Post would have said if Bill O'Reilly had been threatened?

[Watch Video of Olbermann's scathing response HERE.]

[Past Deadline]

Digg!

Lindsay Beyerstein a New York writer blogging at Majikthise.


Blago: It Just Keeps Getting Stranger
Have you noticed that Blagojevich appears to be stark raving mad?
Post by Steve Benen. January 9, 2009.
Obama: 'If Paul Krugman Has a Good Idea … Then We're Going to Do It'
Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman has been a frequent critic of President-elect Obama.
Post by Amanda Terkel. January 9, 2009.
Kucinich Speaks Out Against Congress' Blind Support of Israel
"We must take a new direction in the Middle East.
Post by Staff. January 9, 2009.
Advertisement
Comments Turn comments off sitewide Give us feedback »
Comments closed.
The comments for this story have been closed. Thank you to everyone who participated.
View:
I don't blame Keith Olberman
Posted by: Ellie1 on Sep 28, 2006 7:13 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
With the lunacy of the right wing wacko's out there, I would have done the same thing. As for O'Reilly, he deserves it and more. He is one of those right wing idiot wackos I referred to. The left is intimidated by Olberman because he makes so much SENSE and they have no logical answer for it because none of what they do is logical, moral, or ethical.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Olbermann DID comment
Posted by: CJC on Sep 28, 2006 7:28 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Olbermann reported the incident on "Countdown" on Sept 28.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

» RE: Olbermann DID comment Posted by: helenwheels
Anthrax nothing to mess with
Posted by: sethmo on Sep 28, 2006 8:15 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
As a clinical microbiologist for 20 years I can tell you that anthrax is nothing to mess with. I suppose those critical of him would rather he do "the manly thing" but why end up dead just so you can claim to be macho? I think it takes way more balls to do what he's been doing, calling out the Bushies on their insanity.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

America's new Terrorist Threat
Posted by: james2021 on Sep 28, 2006 8:55 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It unfortunate that this country has some many Conservative's out there so willing to turn this country into the USSR. Freedom of speech only belongs to the the Republican Thugs of this country, and would not be surprised to find out that the New York Post and Republican's were behind this TERRORIST scheme. Republican's will do anything to silence any criticism. The Republicans goal will be to create a law to punish critics, who express Civil Heresey, by bringing unlawful conduct out into the open. And to make matters worse, we elected these people.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Olbermann's Colleagues?
Posted by: kabac55 on Sep 28, 2006 9:28 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I don't think so. A colleague is someone who is a professional equal. The individuals who mocked Keith for seeking medical attention sound more like grade school bullies and are hardly professional.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]

Who else took it seriously
Posted by: Peasantwitch on Sep 28, 2006 10:22 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
According to Olberman, the medical personnel he saw took it seriously enough to provide him a prescription for Cipro, so he could begin treatment immediately should his tests come back positive for anthrax. So it's clear that the newspaper has no respect for medical professionals, either.

Had Loofah O'Liely gotten this kind of threat, no newspaper would have had a chance to state an opinion. He'd have been on the air trumpeting his sick fantasy scenario before anyone else had a chance.

[« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5]